Feed water heater



Aug. 4, 1931. J. F. GRACE FEED WATER HEATER Filed Aug. 20. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 COLD WATERy Aug. 4, 1931. J. F. GRACE FEED WATER HEATER Filed Aug. 20. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M7? im@ Patented Aug. 4, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN E. GRACE, OF KEARNY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGOR TO WORTHIGT'ON PUMP AND MACEN-ERY COBPORJBTEON, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA FEED WATER HEATER Application filed August 20, 13920.

This invention relates especially to feed water heating apparatus of that class in which the cold water supply pump and the hot water feed pump deliver' substantially 353 ixed quantities of wat-er, and which are provided with means for taking care of or compensating for the varying excess of water due tofsteam condensation, but certain features of the invention lare applicable also to appa- "Y ratus of other classes.

The especial yobject of the present invention is the provision of an 'improved feed water heating apparatus adapted especially for locomotive use, and which shall be eili- 's cient and durable under the exacting conditions of such service while of compact construction and especially of small vertical dimensions.

For a full understanding of the invention a detailed description of a locomotive feed water heating apparatus embodying all the features of the invention in their preferred form will now be givenfin connection with the "accompanying drawings and the features '51H5 forming the invention then specifically pointed lout in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the complete unit;

AFigures 2, 3, 4 and 5 are sections on, respectively, lines 2 2, 3 3, 'f1- 4, and 5 5 of Fig. r1.

Referring to the drawings, A is the heat exchange chamber or heater proper receiv- 'LS ing steam from steam connection 15 and cold water from atomizing spray nozzles 16, two or more preferably being used and three being shown, suitably secured in separable head 17 which covers the chamber A and is pro- '46 vided with a suitable passage 18 for delivery -of cold water to the nozzles 16. I preferably provide, also, one or more small spring loaded spray valves 55, two being shown, so adjusted as to remain closed under normal pressure,

445. but adapted to be forced open by any undue 5G the hot feed pump. The chamber has a suit'- Serial No. 404,932.

able downwardly contracting nozzle 19, directly below the spray nozzles and with an extended contracting discharge or tail pipe by which the velocity of the water resulting from the spray nozzles and steam is maintained, this tube extending well down through the tank B and delivering to the upturned end of the feed water pump suction pipe 56 so as to conserve as far as possible the velocity of the water and thus reduce the suction head required and the necessary vertical dimensions of the heater.

At one side of the chamber A is located the cold water chamber C to which water is delivered by passage 21 connected at its lower Vend to the cold water supply pump discharge and preferably having its upper end extended well upward within the chamber C. In order to secure the removal of air from the cold water before its delivery to the spray nozzles 16 and to provide an air chamber for equalizing the flow from the cold water pump to the nozzles so as to secure a continuous spray and a cushioning of the liquid under the vibrations incident to locomotive use, the delivery passage Q2 through which the Water passes to passage 18 has its inlet well below the water level in chamber C. By this arrange-ment of the passages 21 and 22 the passage 22 is water sealed at its lower end, and the flow is such that the air separates from the water in chamber C and collects within the upper portion of the chamber to form an air cushion. A

The excess water is compensated for by reducing the cold water delivery accordingly, and for this purpose a float controi is used, and for reducing the effect of surging of the water incident to locomotive use, the. float is not placed in the storage tank B, but ina separate small tank D connected to the storage tank by small top and bottom ports Q3, 24, so that surging in the large tank does not affect the float, and the float is of a special construction hereafter `described.

The chambers A, B, C and D may be formed in a single casting with a separable hea d, as shown, but it is to be understood that they may be formed in any other suitable manner. At one side of this casting, and secured thereto so as to` form a single unit therewith is the combined cold water supply and hot water pump E operated bythe single direct-acting steam vcylinder F. Pump E consists of a single cylinder v with the piston 26, driven lby a pistonrod 27, the upper end ot the cylinderV acting to supply cold water to the heater and the lower end to withdraw hotteed'water from tank B and deliverl the same.'- The hot water end of the pump has valve chest 28, shown as cast integral ywith and at ones-ide of the cylinder 25, and provided with suction connection 29 having upturned pipe end 56, and with discharge connect-ion 39connected todischarge f chamber 31 extending upward along the wall ottank B to `form air chamber 33 and con necting with Yboilervsupply connection 32 in the lower part of the chamber. The suction valve chamber is preferably extended and tlm-totalv valve area much largerA than that et thedischarge valves, so as toV provide for a tree suctionflow, which ,coacts with the water velocity to reduce the required head.

The uppereend of the `pump cylinder 25 which'supplies cold water tothe heater is provided with a valve chamber shown as formed by a c asting34 which slips over the upper-end of thek cylinder and is secured in any suitable mannerto yliange 35 on cylinder 25. This casting 34 provides a suction vchamber 36 connected to cold water-supply pipe 41 and having suction valves 37, a pulsation chamber 38, discharge valves 4t) and discharge chamber 39 connected to the pas-- sage 21. .The pump air chamberv preferably tis vdivided into two chambers 42, 43', so positioned .as to allow `thelireman' tol observe the piston rod 27 between themI andk note if the pump is working.

The steam cylinder F has the piston 44 connected to piston rod 27 for'foperating the pump piston and to a rod 45 connected by e suitable levers' to valve rod 46 for actuating the steam valvewithin valve chest 47. This valve gear is preferably protected by a cover 48. The exhausttrom steam cylinder F is preferably discharged into the heating cham ber A by pipe 53 and passage 54 inthe heater casting for utilization.

The .steam cylinder Fand the pump E are ,preferably so formed as to allow'the removal of the pistons 26 and 44 as a: unit so that a vset otspares may be substituted with a minimum of trouble ,and delay. For this purpose the pump E is provided with a split cylinder headA 49 secured about piston rod 2.7 and the lower cylinderhead 50 of stean.

cylinder F is provided with an opening of sufficient size to allow the passage of piston 26 therethrough. This opening vis closed 'by a stutiing box 51 provided with afiiange 52 A which seats against the inner side ofthe lower cylinderhead 50. By'xthe removal ofthe cover 48, the detachment of the valve gear 'from the rod 45, and the separation of the Y split cylinder head 49, the two pistons, their livered to and hot water removed from the heater remains constant, but due to condensation of the steam some excess of water may accumulate within the heater. A further feature ot my invention is the provision of improved means r"or.compensating for this excess ot water. For this purpose, l provide a float, preferably in the form of a. bucket 1 in the float chamber D which bucket is maintained full of water at all times by a pipe 2 secured in vpassage 3 connecting with chamber A. The bucket 1 is-preferably slightlyv conical so as to prevent distortion by freezing and is pivotally mounted on bracket 4 on the chamber wall and is balanced, preferably .by two counterweights 5, one on either side of the bracket 4. The float chamber D is provided with apassage 6 'connecting with a passage 7 formed in casting 34 and at one side of thedischarge chamber 39. A rod 8, pivotally secured to the counterbalanced bucket 1, passe-s through the passagesv 6 and 7 and is pivotally connected to alever arm 9 on shaft 10which passes through stutling box 11 in the wall between passage 7 and the coldwater suction pulsation chamber 38 and has av lever arm 12. The lever arm 12 ispivotally connect'ed to a valve rod l3which asses through the chamber 38 and issecured to acylindrical valvek V14 which slides. within-valve cylinder 15 providedwith` ports a connecting with ports I) and c above and below the cylinder 15, these ports connecting, respectively, with the suction chamber 36 and pulsation chamber38. 'f Y Upon an accumulation ot excess-water within the heater, the bucket 1 will beraised yby thein'creased flotation effect of the-water due to the. raised water level aided by the counterweights, hereby actingv through the connections to move the VVvalve 14 inwardly, thereby opening the ports a to ports, c and by-passing a` portion ot thecold waterfrom the pulsation chamber 38 back to thesuction chamber 36. This condition -will continue `until. the water levelhas `fallen to such an lertent as to allow the float ljto overcome the of the Water.

land the heated Water passes thence through nozzle 19 and tail pipe 2() to storage :tank B and pipe 56 from which .it is delivered by the lowerfend of pump E and pipe 30 to the'boiler l,5 through `chamber 3l yand-pipe 32. The rat-io ybetween the lquantities of Water delivered to 'the heater and Withdrawn ktherefrom by pump E remains const-ant'. When there is such an increase -in the quantity ofsteamand consequently of Water of condensation that the Water level rises in :oat chamber D vsuiliciently to raise thezcountervveighted float 'l -the valve 14 moves inward toward the pump E, so as toopcn the ports a to ports t, c, and by-pass a part of the Water from pulsation chamber 38 to suction chamber 36. This operationcontinues until the Water Within tanks B' and D falls again and oat l descends, thereby closing valve la for normal operation. The .pump E is so proportioned as to )keep the feed Water side of the pump full and the storage and 'floattanks filled to normal level, so that the-float controls the supply only in a'ccordancewith the variable excess from steam condensation.

'It Willbe yseen that'the'invention provides V:a very simple, compact and eiiicient feed Water heating apparatus, adapted especially for locomotive use. The iioat chamber separate from and one side of the storage chamber is important, in zthat only the Water necessary for float operation is carried in this ichamber, and the splash vand vibration 'effect upon the float largely reduced, so that the re-g'ulation'is more reliable and less :subject .toinjury; Theprovision of an efficient Aapparatus of small vertical dimensions is aided, also, by theesingle pump cylinder, so that the pum-p Land steam cylinder Vmay then be brought into yvery compact'form vertically and a long pump stroke used, so that the size of the pumpcan be correspondingly reduced. The (enlarged suction valve yarea for the `hot Water end kof the pump, With the nozzle for maintaining the velocity of the feed Water from 'the steam chamberrto the pump, is important in reducing the head required, and this `larger val-ve :area for the hot suction than for V.the colder suction and delivery, -se- `4cures eflioiency and economy in pumping the Water at any temperature to which it may be hea-ted. l/Vith 'the plunger rod on the cold vwater Aside,-.as shown and preferably user., fthe plunger rod may be vmade to vcompensate 'for the different amounts of cold Waterland feed' Water and thus avoid lia-bility to vapor binding and irregular .action ofthe pump. Y ,Theuse of thefopenfloator bucket and its special mounting, is important in reducing vibration, especially in locomotive use.

The compensating for excess Water by reducing the supply, instead of returning the excess Water to the supply pump, aids in se* curing economy, as there is no repumping This feature is important,

also, in that the supply pump thus pumps nothing but cold water, so that there is less ktendency to liability of vapor binding of the pump.

While the invention is especially applicable to locomotive feed Water heating apparatus, and has been shown as thus applied, it Wil-l be understood that the invention is applicable also in connection With other feed water heating systems, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction Ior arrangement of parts shown, as `these may be varied Widely Within the invention as defined by the claims.

lhat is lclaimed is:

l. In a feed Water heating apparatus, the combination with the heating chamber and storage tank, of pumping means comprising a supply pump portion and a feed water pump portion for delivering fixed quantities of Water to and from the heater, `a float tank, a float in the float tank, and means controlled by the float to by-pass a portion of the supply from within the supply pump portion of 1the pumping means to the suction lside ythereof.

2. In Aa feed Water heating apparatus, the combination with the heating chamber and storage tank, of pumping means comprising a supply pump portion and a feed Waiter pump p ortion for delivering fixed quantities of Water to and from the heater, a. oat tank, connections rbetween the storage and float tanks, `a float in the float tank, a by-pass valve controlling a connection between the pulsation chamber and the suction chamber of the supply pump 'portion of the pumping means, yand connections between the float and by-pass valve for by--pass'ing a portion of the suppl-y from Within ythe supply pump'portion of the pumping means to the suction chamber thereof.

3. In a feed Water heating apparatus', the

'combination with the heating chamber and storage tank, of pumping means comprising a supply pump portion and a feed Water pump portion for delivering fixed quantities of Waterfto and from the heater, a float tank, connections between 4the storage and float tanks, an open fioat in said tank, connections 115 for maintaining said fioat full of Water, Vmeans for balancing the float, and means controlled by the float to y-pass a portion of the supply Vfrom within the. supply pump portion ofthe pumping means to thc suction side S120 thereof.

4. In a feed Water heating apparatus, the combination with the heating chamber and storage tank, of lpumping means comprising a supply pump portion and a feed Water 1'1'25 pump portion for delivering fixed quantities of waterto :and from the heater, a fioat tank, connections between the storage and float tanks, van open counterweight float pivoted in the float tank, connections for maintaining aso vHO the float full of water, a by-pass valve controlling connection between thepulsation chamber land the suction chamber of the sup ply pump portion of the pumping means, and connections between the iioat and b5 -pass valve for by-passing a portion of the supply from' within the supply pumpv portion of the pumping means to the suction side thereof.

5. In a feed water heating apparatus, the combination with the heating and storage chambers of pumping means comprising a supply pump portion and a feed water pump portion for delivering fixed quantities of water to and from the heater, a s ipply passage connecting the supply pump portion of the pumping niie'ans with the heating chamber, and means controlled by the water in the heater for reducing the discharge of the supply pump portion ofthe pumping means to the supply passagein case of an e-icess of water inthe heater.

Y6'. In a feed water heati'ngapparatus the combination with a Supply pump and passage for .delivering water to the heater of afiioat in'said heater controlled bytheA Water level in said heater, and means controlled Vby said float for reducing the discharge'of the supply pump to said passage. i

7. In a feed water heating apparatus, the combination with asupp'ly pump and` passage for delivering water to the heater, of a float controlled by the level of water inthe heater, a by-pass valve in the pulsation chamber'- of thesupply pump, and connections between the float'and theby-pass valve for reducing the discharge ofthe pump to said passage in accordance with the level of water in the heater.

8. In a feed water heatingapparatus, the

` combination with .the heating chamber, of'a single cylinderdouble acting supply and feed pump connected thereto with the upper end of said cylinder acting vas a supply pump and the Alower endas a feed pump, and means'for reducing the discharge v'of the supply pump to its heater connection'in accordance'with the level of water in the heater.

9. In a feed water heating apparatus, the

. combination with the 'heatingchamber and i feo storage tankyof a single cylinder 'double acting' supply and feed pump connected lthereto :with the upper end of the pump acting as a the heating chamber and pump acting to maintain'the velocity imparted to the water in the heating chamber and reduce the head Y required foropening 'the suction valves of the feed pump.

1l. In a feed water heating apparatus, the

combinationwith the heating chamber, of

combination with the heating chamber, of

one or more spray nozzles for the water supply,1a single cylinder double acting feed n'it pump havin@ its upper end acting as a sup* ply pump and its lower end as a fee-d pump, and acontracting tail pipe connecting said heatingchamber and feed pump tomaintain the velocityof the water'from said heating chamber.v Y

13. In a feed water heating apparatus, the combination with the heating chamber, of one or more spray .nozzles for the water supply, a feed pump, a contracting tail pipe connectingsaid heating chamber and feed pump to maintain the velocityof the ywater from said heating chamber, and asuction chamber and suction valves on said feed pump having an enlarged area forrreducing thehead required. i v

14.' The combination with the heating chamber A and its steam'and cold water inlets, of storage tank B, contracting throat '19 and tail pipeQO within the storage tank, and

a feed pump receiving its supply from the4 v v tail pipe.V l

15. rI'he combination with the heating chamber A and its steam and cold Water inlets, of vcontracting throat 19and tail pipe saidl pump in line with and adjacent to the lower end ofsaid tail pipe. Y

` 16. An open type feedwater heater comprising a heating'vessel, means for admitting steam thereto, separate means for yadmitting cold water to saidvesseha hot water outlet from saidf vessel, asingle pump 'cylinder and piston having a fixed ratio between the cold and hot-water displacements, valve-con'- trolled inlet means andoutlet means for cold water at theupper end of said cylinder, a

valve-controlled inlet for hot vwater at the lower end of the same cylinder, a valve-controlled outlet for hot water from the lower end of said cylinder, and means controlled by-a slight increase in the water level in said vessel for decreasing the vrate of supply of cold water to said vessel.

7 Intestimonywhereof I have hereunto set my hand. f 1

JOIJINF. GRACE.

720, a feed pump, and a suction pipe 56 on` ilo 

